Available copy



(No Model.)

B. L. ZALINSKI ELEGTRIG SHELL FUSE.

No. 341,536. Patented May 11, 1886.

' (lumen or 5 1 401 014 02 7 (ma l/Z 1 $513 finer-nai i .Toall whom itmay concern/.-

BEST

ELECTRIC SHELL-FUSE.

SPECIFIQAEIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. $51,536, dated May 11,1.836.

I Application llled Docemborlll), 1885. Serial No. 197.1219. (No model.)

Be it known that I, EDMUND L. ZALINSKT, of the United States Army,stationed at Fort H amilton,.St-ate of New York, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements 'in Electric Fuse and Method ofFi'ringProjectiles Thereby, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to electric fuse for projectiles.

The invention consists in the construction of the fuse and itsconnections and the circuit making and breaking apparatus. a

My improved fnse'is specially intended for use with projectilesandgprojectile torpedoes charged with dynamite or other high explosive,but maybe used with projectiles charged with gunpowder, when foundadvisable.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a projectile, showing the relativelocation of the various parts of my, fuse devJ-ce. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section ofa wet and dry battery fuse. Fig. 3 is a sectionof thesafet-y circuit-- breaker. Fig. {i is a similar section of anauxiliary safety circuit-closer. Fig. 5 is a detail showing the base ofthe electric battery which ignites on concussion.

A indicates the body of a projectile, which may be of any usual form.

B designates the fuse, which is shown in the.

point of the shell, but may be in the base or any other part, and thebattery in said fuse is connected with a detonating charge, (J,preferably at the base of the charge in the shell, to secure thegreatest results of the explosion.

lhe fuse B contains the wet battery I) and dry battery E; but underfavorable circumstances for such use either battery may be dispensedwith. One element of the battery 18 connected to the dct-onator by awire; but the'retuni-circuit is preferably through the metal of the bodyof the projectile. The wire from the wet battery is preferably broken atone or-two points, as F and G, in such manner that the circuit can beclosed or opened at those points by instrumentalit-ics extendingout-side theprojectile.

The fuse-case B is of snlating-piece, a, 11 passes through metal, havingan inat 1ts inner end. The wire this piece, and is joined to three,four, or more small copper burst-c c c, which extend lengthwise insidethe fuse case, but are insulated from it, A plunger, 11, is

held loosely between the wires or bars 0, but' with sufiicient frictionto prevent it from moving by its own weight, even if the fuse bereversed. This plunger (2 has an annulus, e, of non-conducting materialattached to its face, and a thin disk, 8, of rubber, extends across thefront of this annulus.

The electric battery D, of substantially the construction shown in myPatent No. 313,150, of March 3, 1885, is inclosedin a strong metallictube, f, which extends forward beyond the end of the fuse case. out isheld against movement therein by pins g4 which enter the fuse-case andthe tube. The inner end of tubefinuy be faced with a non-coir ductor, h,and is turned in so as to prevent the escape of the battery from theinner end of the tube. The inner end of the battery has a. sharp point,'17, connected to one battery element, and the other element connects byme- .tallic contact with the tubef, fuses-use and shell-body. The outerend of the battery D has a ring, k, of soft metal, ulittle too large toouter the .tubef, but capable of compression or of being cut. away bytheshock of firing the projectile in the gun, so that the battery willmore inward, as in Fig. 2, after the gun is tired, but will remain atthe outerextreinity ofthe tube, Fig. 5, uutil the firing. -Springs Z Z,engaging corrugations in the tube, prevent the escape of the backwardmovement of the battery during the flight of the projectile,and

a projecting piece, m, holds the battery against forward movement whenthe shot strikes a target.

'hcn a fuse constructed as described is placed in the frontend or pointof a projectile, the battery I) is' held out of possible contact withplung'crd by the ring it engaging theend oftubef. When the gunisiired,this ring strips, and the battery D moves to the bottom of thetuber. At the some time the plunger dinoves to the inner end of thefuse-case, so that there is no contact between the battery and plunger.

'If the projectile strikes in the water, the

plunger d will move forward and the point z,

penetrating the diaphragm flwill enter or engage the metal of plunger11, thus closing circuit through the detonator and firing the the faceof plunger d from a coating of dirt' explode the charge vloy concussion.

charge, the amount of movement of the plans ger determining the delay.in ifiring.

The rubber diaphragm 6' serves to protect or oil, and also acts asapossible safeguard to prevent contact between ihe'plnnger and battery,except by reason of such a shock as will rupture the diaphragm.

It is important that the explosion shall begin at the rear of the chargeand not be caused by the shock of striking a target. Thus, when theprojectile strikes a solid target, (as an armored ship,) the tubef willbedrivcnin, shearing'ofif the pins y, and causing the battery to engagethe plunger before the projectile strikes the target with snch'force'asto The-extension m serves to hold the battery foward in the tnbef.

To prevent explosion of the charge in the gun, the circuit through wireI) (2' Ir is broken at Fby a connection operating follows: A. push-pin,enforced out by a spring, '0, is held in the insulated plug q inthe'side of the'projectile. The headot' pin a will come in contact withmetal r, and so make connection with the body of the projectile wheneverthe pin is free to move out under the impulse of its spring; but whenthe projectile is entered in the gun the pin 11 will be pressed in bythe walls of the gun, so that circuit will be broken as long as theprojectile is in the gun, but will be closed when it leaves the muzzle.A somewhat similar arrangement at G enables the circuit to be broken allthe time until the metallic pin S is inserted between the ends ofwires 1) b". This pin will not beinserted until the pin a has enteredthe breech of the gun, so that circuit is broken at F. The. gunner thushas it in his power to prevent explosion in the gun by reason of theclosing of the battery-circuit, no matter what may happen to the batteryand plunger.

Should the retardation of the projectile when entering water beinsufficient to throw the plunger forward and fire the charge frombattery D, or should 'it be desired to throw the projectile into thewater and explode it after a few seconds. the dry battery Ewiil fire theprojectile, without aid from battery 1), in the following manner: Thedry battery contains the chemical elements necessary to produce anelectnic current when made sensitive by the to the detonator throughwire I). The other connects with the fuse-case and bodyof theprojectile. When the p rojectile enters the water, the entrance ofliqnidat t sensitizes the.

battery in the course of a very few seconds, and the'charge is firedthereby; The time required for the entrance 0t water may be regulatedwithin reasonable limits, so that the projectile will explode atagreater or less depth thus making the projectile a formidable torpedodestroyer.

It will be understood that the constructions shown-arc diagrammatic, andmay be varied by the substitution of equivalents without departing fromthe spirit of this 'invention.-

I donot claim herein the method of explod ing the projectile byadmitting water'to the dry battery, such method being claimed by me inan application filed February 3, 1886, to

which application the Patent Ofiice hasgiyen the Serial No. 190,705. Inthisapplication 1 illustrate the application of the circuit-breaker tothe battery-wires, whether the battery be sensitized or not.

I claim v 1. A projectile having an electr b battery contained thereinand a mechanical connection extending tothe exteriorof the shell,whereby.

the circuit may be broken or closed.

2. A projectile having an electric battery and battery circuit containedtherein and a circuit breaker extending outside the projectile andhaving a bearing the walls'ot the gun, so as to be operated to breakcircuit by the pressure of the walls of the gun. I

3. (he combination, with an electric battery contained in a projectile,of a projecting piece which drives in the battery to close circuit oncontact with a solid target.

4-. The combinatiom'in a shell-fuse, of an, electric battery, atmetalliecontact-piece, and

an interposed diaphragm between the battery and said piece, and aperforating-point in line with said diaphragm to penetrate saiddiaphragm.

In testimony whereof Iaiiixinysignaturc in presence of two witnesses.

EDMUND L. 'ZALINSKI.

